PHI

09/03/2025

Yesterday marked the close of the comment period for a proposed U.S. Department of Labor rule on course to strip minimum wage and overtime protections from home care workers across the nation. The rule would reinstate a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exemption for home care workers, reversing nearly a decade of progress and perpetuating historically rooted views about whose labor deserves to be valued and protected and whose does not. PHI has submitted formal comments urging the DOL to withdraw its unjust and short-sighted proposal.

“The DOL’s proposed rule is completely at odds with long-standing efforts to expand access to home and community-based services and support family caregivers,” said PHI’s Vice President of Research and Evaluation, Kezia Scales, PhD. “We cannot hope to build up our nation’s care infrastructure while dismantling its central component—a stable home care workforce. By denying basic labor protections for this essential workforce, we will not be able to attract, honor, and retain the skilled workers that we need.”

We invite you to read our full analysis and join us in advocating for the recognition and rights of all home care workers:

Yesterday, September 2, marked the close of the comment period for a proposed U.S. Department of Labor rule on course to strip minimum wage and overtime protections from home care workers across the nation. The rule would reinstate a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exemption for home care workers, r...

09/01/2025

This Labor Day, PHI celebrates the historic contributions and achievements of American workers—including the efforts of more than 5 million direct care workers who ensure the well-being of older adults and people with disabilities across the country.

At the same time, our nation now confronts the reality of multiple policy developments that, taken together, contribute to a deeply concerning pattern of disruption to the quality of direct care jobs—and the quality of care for millions of Americans.

Most recently, just weeks before Labor Day, the U.S. Department of Labor—the agency charged with protecting all workers—actively halted enforcement of federal minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers as it seeks to permanently strip those rights away. These rights, which were only granted in 2013, corrected a long-standing injustice rooted in the original, discriminatory exclusion of this workforce—one comprised primarily of women of color—from the Fair Labor Standards Act.

As we mark this holiday, PHI calls on our nation’s leaders to reverse the halting of FLSA protections, commit to policies that respect and recognize the essential contributions of home care workers, and work to strengthen, not weaken, this critical sector.

Learn more here: https://www.phinational.org/on-labor-day-direct-care-workers-deserve-more-than-celebration/

08/15/2025

The recent firing of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner risks undermining a critical, nonpartisan resource that is essential for understanding our nation's labor economy.

PHI relies on trusted BLS data to analyze and advocate for the direct care workforce. Without credible data and experienced leadership, our ability to advance progress for millions of essential workers is compromised.

Read our full statement on the importance of protecting the integrity of the BLS:

This month’s firing of Erika McEntarfer, who served as Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), risks undermining a critical resource that policymakers and the general public rely on to understand changes in the U.S. employment landscape—and our overall economy. Operated within...

08/12/2025

Personal care aides and home health aides together comprise the largest occupational group in the U.S. workforce. Yet, unlike home health aides, who must complete at least 75 hours of training, personal care aides face no federal minimum training requirements, creating inconsistent preparation that varies by location.

Our latest research update demonstrates that while 31 states and Washington, D.C. now have consistent training standards across their Medicaid programs—a significant improvement from just 19 states in 2014—seven states still maintain no training requirements at all.

This patchwork approach undermines professional recognition, limits career mobility, and impacts the quality of care for millions of Americans who depend on home care services.

Read our comprehensive report and discover where your state stands:

Together, personal care aides and home health aides make up the largest occupational group in the U.S. workforce. However, personal care aides – unlike home health aides who are required to have at least 75 hours of entry-level training –are not subject to any federal minimum training requiremen...

08/07/2025

Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, PhD, brings a compelling perspective to one of our most pressing policy challenges. As Oregon's Director of Aging and People with Disabilities, she combines lived experience—caring for a mother with Alzheimer's while managing her own MS—with rigorous research on structural inequality in care work.

In our latest interview, Dr. Knight-Coyle reveals why the direct care workforce crisis goes far deeper than wages and benefits. With demographic shifts creating unprecedented demand while family caregiving capacity shrinks, she explains why we're at an inflection point that demands systemic solutions.

"Direct care work, as it stands, is a modern-day example of the historic oppression of women's labor. Addressing these issues demands more than just improved wages and career lattices—it requires understanding the dark history that created racialized and gendered low-wage work."

Read her insights on the systemic changes needed to strengthen both workforce recruitment and quality of care:

Direct care workforce recruitment and retention challenges are widespread, yet the need for the essential care and support that direct care workers provide will only increase over time, as the U.S. population ages. It is therefore essential, now more than ever, to understand the role of structural i...

08/05/2025

On July 25th, the Department of Labor issued a bulletin instructing field staff to immediately cease enforcing minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers—and to close all open cases regarding violations.

This action removes federal accountability for wage theft and impacts millions of home care workers—84% of whom are women, 67% people of color, and 32% immigrants. These actions will also further challenge the ability of employers to recruit and retain these workers, while compromising the quality and continuity of care for individuals and families across the country.

The DOL's instructions to halt FLSA enforcement for home care workers—and the proposed rule to carve them out of FLSA completely—must be challenged through all available channels. We urge Congress to investigate the DOL's abandonment of ongoing enforcement cases and call on state attorneys general to step up enforcement where federal authorities have abdicated their responsibility.

Learn more here: https://www.phinational.org/phi-statement-on-department-of-labors-halt-of-home-care-worker-protections/

07/31/2025

For Virginia's direct care workers, a pay raise doesn't always lead to financial stability. In fact, it can push them over a "benefits cliff."

PHI's new study with LeadingAge Virginia and its foundation, PositiveAge, "Tipping Point," explores this critical issue. We found that 16% of Virginia’s direct care workers are at risk of a benefits cliff, where a small increase in earnings results in a loss of public benefits that leaves them financially worse off than before.

Furthermore, analysis shows that direct care workers can lose 35-37% of a $5,000 raise to lost benefits and higher taxes—an effective tax rate comparable to that of the wealthiest Americans.

The economic instability that characterizes these essential jobs harms workers and threatens care for older adults and people with disabilities. Our report details policy and employer-led solutions to help workers advance their careers without facing devastating financial setbacks.

Read the full report to understand the scope of the problem and explore actionable solutions:

Direct care workers provide vital support to older adults and people with disabilities, yet many live in poverty due to low wages and unstable hours. To make ends meet, they often depend on public benefit programs to survive. Because of strict program rules, modest income gains can reduce or elimina...

07/25/2025

Even before the passage of H.R.1, public benefits that support millions of families—like Medicaid, SNAP, and child care subsidies—have been systematically weakened in recent years through choices like the unwinding of COVID-era expansions and failures to evolve and modernize.

On July 30, Leap Fund is hosting a panel of experts to discuss the future of public benefits, benefits cliffs, and ways we can respond in this moment. Join PHI's Sarah Angell and policy experts from across the field on as we discuss how to navigate this shifting landscape and continue advocating for economic mobility.

If your work intersects with economic mobility, we hope you’ll join us on July 30th at 12:00 p.m. ET for “Benefits Cliffs in a Shifting Policy Landscape.”

Register today: https://myleapfund.com/benefits-cliffs-policy-webinar-25

07/23/2025

For six decades, Medicaid has provided efficient, cost-effective health and long-term care coverage. Now, President Trump has signed a bill gutting this vital program, threatening essential supports in every state. Devastating cuts will leave millions without critical supports, while making direct care jobs increasingly unstable as states face federal funding shortfalls. In response, Caring Across Generations is convening a 60-hour vigil. You can add your voice to those of advocates across the country defending this vital program by taking part:

Join the Protect Medicaid Vigil to stand up for essential healthcare services. Learn more about our events, partners, and how you can take action.

07/23/2025

Strong frontline supervision is more crucial than ever. For direct care workers entering the field, it can be the difference between excelling in their roles and costly turnover. PHI's Coaching Approach® to Supervision is a specialized two-day online training designed for supervisors in home and residential care settings who want to break the cycle of direct care workforce turnover.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻: Build stronger relationships with frontline staff by sharpening your active listening, communication, and collaborative problem-solving; Develop greater self-awareness and practice strategies to manage stress and emotions in ways that foster trust, clarity, and connection; Practice delivering clear, direct feedback that balances accountability with support and mutual respect.

𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: September 16-17, 2025

𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 - Our training equips supervisors with the skills to provide consistent, accessible, and supportive supervision that helps workers succeed.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄 at

PHI Coaching Approach® to Supervision training is designed to enhance core communication skills for effective supervision of direct care workers in home and residential settings. Break the cycle of direct care workforce turnover and improve the quality and continuity of care.

07/21/2025

Tomorrow: Join PHI President & CEO Jodi Sturgeon for an important conversation on building quality jobs at The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program's upcoming webinar, "Fixing Work: Recent Lessons from the Field."

This webinar brings together leaders at the forefront of creating good jobs that provide economic security, advancement opportunities, and dignified workplaces. As a featured panelist, Jodi will share PHI's innovative strategies for improving job quality in direct care—a critical sector where quality jobs directly translate to quality care for older adults and people with disabilities.

Tuesday, July 22, 2025 2:00-3:30 PM EDT Virtual via Zoom

The conversation will explore practical strategies for building good jobs, real-world lessons from job quality practitioners, and fresh insights to advance job quality across sectors. This is part of the Job Quality in Practice webinar series, offering actionable tools and guidance for workforce leaders, policymakers, business advisors, and advocates.

Register now:

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program will soon release a report, Fixing Work: Lessons from Job Quality Practitioners, based on in-depth interviews with more than 20 leaders across the country about the work they are doing to create good jobs that provide economic security, the opportun...

07/16/2025

PHI's Jodi Sturgeon will be presenting at "Supporting & Protecting Immigrant Home Care Workers in New York City" tomorrow, addressing critical solutions for strengthening and retaining the city's essential home care workforce.

Nearly three-quarters of NYC's 200,000+ home care workers are immigrants who face significant workplace challenges despite their vital role caring for aging New Yorkers and people with disabilities. This collaborative event brings together experts from academia, healthcare, government, and community organizations to explore pathways toward a more equitable and resilient care system.

Jodi will participate in the "Solutions for Strengthening and Retaining New York City's Home Care Workforce" panel discussion at 11:40 AM.

Event Details: July 17, 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM ET The New School University Center, NYC

Hosted by Center for Migration Studies of New York, The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, and The New School's Zolberg Institute for Migration and Mobility.

More information available at

Join us for the in person event, Supporting & Protecting Immigrant Home Care Workers in New York City, on July 17.